[104th Congress Public Law 192]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
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[DOCID: f:publ192.104]
[[Page 110 STAT. 2104]]
Public Law 104-192
104th Congress
An Act
To amend title 18, United States Code, to carry out the international
obligations of the United States under the Geneva Conventions to provide
criminal penalties for certain war crimes. <<NOTE: Aug. 21,
1996 - [H.R. 3680]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America <<NOTE: War Crimes Act of 1996.>> in Congress
assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT <<NOTE: 18 USC 2401 note.>> TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``War Crimes Act of 1996''.
SEC. 2. CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR CERTAIN WAR CRIMES.
(a) In General.--Title 18, United States Code, is amended by
inserting after chapter 117 the following:
``CHAPTER 118--WAR CRIMES
``Sec.
``2401. War crimes.
``Sec. 2401. War crimes
``(a) Offense.--Whoever, whether inside or outside the United
States, commits a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions, in any of the
circumstances described in subsection (b), shall be fined under this
title or imprisoned for life or any term of years, or both, and if death
results to the victim, shall also be subject to the penalty of death.
``(b) Circumstances.--The circumstances referred to in subsection
(a) are that the person committing such breach or the victim of such
breach is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or a
national of the United States (as defined in section 101 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act).
``(c) Definitions.--As used in this section, the term `grave breach
of the Geneva Conventions' means conduct defined as a grave breach in
any of the international conventions relating to the laws of warfare
signed at Geneva 12 August 1949 or any protocol to any such convention,
to which the United States is a party.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of chapters for part I of title
18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating
to chapter 117 the following new item:
``118. War crimes................................................2401''.
Approved August 21, 1996.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 3680:
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 104-698 (Comm. on the Judiciary).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 142 (1996):
July 29, considered and passed House.
Aug. 2, considered and passed Senate.
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 32 (1996):
Aug. 21, Presidential statement.
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